As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you'll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions to some of the world's toughest challenges, such as protecting the environment, ensuring food safety, and helping to find cures for cancer.
Location/Division Specific Information
This position is based at the Thermo Fisher Scientific manufacturing site in Mebane, North Carolina. The Mebane site supports the production of high-quality products that enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer. The Senior Operator plays a key role in ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient manufacturing operations while supporting continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives.
How Will You Make an Impact?
As a Senior Operator, you will provide technical expertise and leadership to support manufacturing operations, ensuring products are produced safely, efficiently, and in compliance with quality standards. Your commitment to operational excellence, employee development, and continuous improvement will directly contribute to delivering high-quality products to our customers worldwide.
A Day in the Life
- Operate, monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize manufacturing equipment and processes while adhering to safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
- Train, mentor, and support operators by providing technical guidance, promoting best practices, and ensuring compliance with standard operating procedures.
- Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives, investigations, equipment qualifications, and process optimization activities to enhance productivity, quality, and operational performance.
Education
- High school diploma or equivalent required.
- Technical certification, vocational training, or an associate degree in a related field preferred.
Experience
Required
- Minimum of 4 years of experience in a manufacturing, operations, production, or related environment.
- Demonstrated experience operating, setting up, and troubleshooting manufacturing equipment with minimal supervision.
- Experience following and interpreting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and production documentation.
- Experience training, mentoring, or supporting the development of team members.
Preferred
- Experience in a cGMP-regulated environment.
- Experience working in a clean room environment.
- Experience leading production activities or serving as a lead operator.
- Experience supporting investigations, CAPAs, deviations, and root cause analysis.
- Experience with MES, SAP, ERP, or electronic batch record systems.
- Experience participating in Lean Manufacturing or continuous improvement initiatives.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Advanced knowledge of manufacturing processes, production equipment, and quality systems.
- Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify root causes and implement effective solutions.
- Ability to provide technical leadership, coaching, and training to operators and cross-functional team members.
- Working knowledge of cGMP regulations, Good Documentation Practices (GDP), and safety requirements.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
- Proficiency with computer systems and manufacturing software applications.
- Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and make sound decisions in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
Physical Requirements / Work Environment
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and perform repetitive tasks for extended periods during a scheduled shift.
- Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials up to 35 pounds regularly and up to 50 pounds occasionally.
- Ability to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including safety glasses, gloves, gowns, respirators, and safety footwear, as required.
- Ability to work in manufacturing, clean room, laboratory, warehouse, or controlled production environments.
- Ability to work flexible schedules, including overtime, weekends, holidays, and shift rotations as required by business needs.
- Ability to work safely around manufacturing equipment and automated systems while adhering to all site safety procedures.